The British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, has engaged in discussions about the conflict in Ukraine with leaders from the United States, Italy, France, and Germany, as confirmed by a spokesperson from 10 Downing Street. This comes ahead of US President Donald Trump’s planned call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday.
The recent diplomatic efforts follow inconclusive direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, Turkey, on Friday. The leaders emphasized the importance of an unconditional ceasefire and urged Putin to take peace talks seriously. They also raised the possibility of imposing sanctions if Russia does not engage seriously in a ceasefire and concerted peace negotiations.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned discussing the issue with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican. Merz also had extensive conversations with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Vatican.
Trump expressed his intention to speak with Putin and Zelenskyy to explore ways to halt the “bloodbath” of the war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that preparations were underway for a conversation between Putin and Trump.
The leaders’ face-to-face talks in Istanbul resulted in an agreement to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war, marking the largest such exchange since the conflict began. However, a senior Ukrainian official revealed that Russian negotiators demanded Ukraine withdraw its troops from regions claimed by Moscow before agreeing to a ceasefire, a condition that Ukraine rejects.
Meanwhile, Ukraine raised concerns about a potential ballistic missile attack from Russia to intimidate Ukraine and its Western allies. Ukraine’s military intelligence agency reported that Russia planned to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile, while also launching a record number of drones overnight.
Ukrainian officials condemned Russia’s drone attacks, with President Zelenskyy calling for stronger sanctions on Moscow. Russia denied targeting civilians and claimed to have captured another village in eastern Ukraine, escalating the conflict despite ongoing talks.
In an interview with Russian state TV, Putin stated that Russia’s goal was to address the root causes of the crisis, create conditions for lasting peace, and ensure Russia’s security. However, Ukraine and the West have rejected Russia’s justifications for the invasion, labeling it as an imperial land grab.
Tensions remain high as the conflict continues to claim lives and displace millions of people. Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also had discussions on Saturday, according to the US Department of State. Selama panggilan itu, Rubio menyambut baik kesepakatan pertukaran tawanan yang dicapai di Istanbul, kata juru bicara departemen.
Negosiator teratas Ukraina, Menteri Pertahanan Rustem Umerov, mengatakan “langkah selanjutnya” akan menjadi pertemuan antara dua presiden yang sedang bertikai.
Rusia mengatakan telah mencatat permintaan tersebut, namun menambahkan bahwa pertukaran tawanan perang harus diselesaikan terlebih dahulu, dan kedua belah pihak kemudian perlu menyajikan visi mereka untuk gencatan senjata sebelum ronde negosiasi berikutnya dapat diatur.